Lego robotics

Of this robot's construction, J.P. Brown wrote: "XILO plays music by striking the chromed metal tubes according to your movements. I got the tubes from my son's toy xylophone. I expect you could use the tubes from a wind chime if you don't have a xylophone handy."

Of this robot's construction, J.P. Brown wrote: "XILO plays music by striking the chromed metal tubes according to your movements. I got the tubes from my son's toy xylophone. I expect you could use the tubes from a wind chime if you don't have a xylophone handy."

Aegis tracks movement or color to aim and fire its "Cyberslam missiles." Brown said he designed this as "an anti-squirrel device to track and deter the little brutes from digging up the roots of the plants in my wife's window boxes. However, after a discussion in the LEGO Mindstorms forums about pets chewing through computer cables, it occurred to me that a squirrel might well chew through the USB cables and trash the LEGO Cam. In the end I have just had it kicking around the office to keep co-workers away from my office supplies."

Aegis tracks movement or color to aim and fire its "Cyberslam missiles." Brown said he designed this as "an anti-squirrel device to track and deter the little brutes from digging up the roots of the plants in my wife's window boxes. However, after a discussion in the LEGO Mindstorms forums about pets chewing through computer cables, it occurred to me that a squirrel might well chew through the USB cables and trash the LEGO Cam. In the end I have just had it kicking around the office to keep co-workers away from my office supplies." (Photo courtesy of J.P. Brown)